A Green Salad with Cranberries with a French Vinaigrette
Looking for a vibrant, crowd-pleasing salad that screams fall and holiday vibes? This Green Salad with Feta Cheese, Pecans, and Cranberries is a game-changer! Loaded with tangy crumbled feta, crunchy toasted pecans, sweet dried cranberries, and fresh greens, all tossed in a zesty homemade French vinaigrette—it’s simple to make, bursting with texture and flavor, and perfect for Thanksgiving, Christmas, or any cozy dinner.
Tired of the old lettuce-tomato combo? Spice up your salad game this Fall with this Feta Cheese, Pecan Green Salad with cranberries and a homemade French vinaigrette dressing. Discover the joy of kitchen sink salads by mixing in fresh, in-season ingredients for that extra crunch and flavor. An easy-to-follow recipe for a Feta Cheese, Pecan Green Salad with cranberries with a classic French vinaigrette dressing. This cranberry pecan salad could be the star of your Thanksgiving, Christmas dinner or any Fall meal.
Even though we love classic lettuce and tomato salad, sometimes we want to shake it up a bit. So we add some of the seasonal flavors to the mix. And maybe even add something with a crunch other than croutons?
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This cranberry pecan salad is made with fresh spinach, romaine lettuce but any field greens would work very well. And with the additions of feta cheese, chopped pecans, and dried cranberries it adds a taste of winter. Then the french vinaigrette dressing is made from red wine vinegar, Dijon mustard, and olive oil. And it perfectly complements this green salad with cranberries very well. All dressing ingredients are placed in a shaker jar and or in a food processor and emulsified to blend them. Are you ready to create this fall goodness?
Fall Salad Recipe:
Salad Ingredients:
- 4 cups salad greens, romaine lettuce, fresh baby spinach or field greens
- 1/4 cup dried cranberries
- 1/4 cup chopped pecans
- 2-3 ounces feta cheese
French vinaigrette dressing Ingredients:
- 1 1/2 Tablespoons Red Wine Vinegar
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
- 1 Tablespoon Dijon Mustard
- 1/8 teaspoon black pepper
- 4 Tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
- 1 green onion, diced
Equipment Needed:
- Dressing Shaker Jar or any jar with a lid
- Salad Spinner
- Salad Serving Bowl
🥣 Recipe Tips
- Toast the pecans for extra flavor and crunch—spread them on a baking sheet and toast in a 350°F oven for 5-7 minutes (or in a dry skillet over medium heat, stirring frequently) until fragrant. Let them cool before adding to the salad to avoid wilting the greens.
- Make the vinaigrette ahead and store it in the fridge for up to a week; the flavors (especially from the green onion and Dijon) will meld and intensify. Shake well before drizzling, and only dress the portion you’re serving to keep leftovers crisp.
- Add the feta at the very end and toss gently—this prevents it from breaking down too much and turning the salad creamy instead of keeping those nice tangy crumbles throughout. For a festive twist, use goat cheese as a substitute if you want a softer texture.
Who says salads have to be boring? Step up your salad game with our Feta Cheese, Pecan Green Salad featuring cranberries and a classic French vinaigrette dressing. Bursting with flavors and textures, it’s the perfect salad to serve during the Fall season or any dinner party. Made with fresh greens, crunchy pecans, dried cranberries, and tangy feta cheese, this salad is anything but ordinary. So why not change things up and add this exciting salad to your menu?
How to Make this Green Salad with Cranberries, Feta, and Pecans:
Salad Instructions
- Wash the salad greens thoroughly and dry them well using a salad spinner (or pat dry with paper towels) to remove excess water.
- Transfer the dry greens to a large salad bowl.
- Scatter the toasted pecans, dried cranberries, and crumbled feta cheese evenly over the top.
- Gently toss everything together with tongs or clean hands until evenly distributed—just before drizzling with dressing and serving.
French Vinaigrette Dressing Instructions:
- In a jar or salad dressing shaker, combine the red wine vinegar, finely chopped green onions, salt, Dijon mustard, and black pepper.
- Pour in the olive oil, secure the lid tightly, and shake vigorously for 10–15 seconds until the dressing is fully emulsified and creamy-looking.
- Tip: Shaking longer helps the dressing thicken slightly and makes the flavors blend beautifully!
Frequently my salads are what one would call kitchen sink salads because we use anything or everything in the fridge to make a salad. You know, where you mix “whatever” you have handy in the salad and then just add bottled salad dressing. Truth to tell, we do use bottle salad dressing frequently. But I often forget how easy it is to mix a great dressing with ingredients that I already keep in my pantry like this French Vinaigrette dressing.
This Feta, Pecan, and Cranberry Salad is the perfect blend of sweet, tangy, crunchy, and fresh—guaranteed to steal the show at your holiday table or any weeknight dinner. It comes together in minutes, looks stunning, and tastes even better than it looks. Make it once, and it’ll become your go-to salad all season long. Give it a try—you won’t be disappointed!
🥣 Recipe
Green Salad with Feta Cheese, Pecans, and Cranberries w/Classic Vinaigrette Dressing
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Ingredients
Dressing
- 1 ½ tablespoons red wine vinegar
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- 1 tablespoon Dijon mustard
- ⅛ teaspoon black pepper
- 4 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
- 1 green onion diced
Salad
- 4 cups salad greens Such as romaine lettuce,fresh baby spinach, chopped into bite-size pieces
- ¼ cup dried cranberries
- ¼ cup chopped pecans
- ¼ cup feta cheese
Instructions
French Vinaigrette Dressing Instructions:
- In a jar or salad dressing shaker, combine the red wine vinegar, finely chopped green onions, salt, Dijon mustard, and black pepper.
- Pour in the olive oil, secure the lid tightly, and shake vigorously for 10–15 seconds until the dressing is fully emulsified and creamy-looking.
- Tip: Shaking longer helps the dressing thicken slightly and makes the flavors blend beautifully!
Salad Instructions
- Wash the salad greens thoroughly and dry them well using a salad spinner (or pat dry with paper towels) to remove excess water.
- Transfer the dry greens to a large salad bowl
- Scatter the toasted pecans, dried cranberries, and crumbled feta cheese evenly over the top.
- Gently toss everything together with tongs or clean hands until evenly distributed—just before drizzling with dressing and serving.
Nutrition
Click HERE to save this cranberry pecan salad with French Vinaigrette Dressing to Pinterest
Made this feta-pecan salad! Sooo good and I already had everything "in stock!" Thank you! – and pinned for later, too!